New regional maternity emergency service opens in Setúbal
A new regional gynaecology and obstetrics emergency department has opened on the Setúbal Peninsula, operating across the Garcia de Orta Hospital in Almada and the São Bernardo Hospital in Setúbal. The reorganization follows the permanent closure of the emergency service in Barreiro, a move that faced significant opposition from local mayors and patient organizations. The new department continues to rely on temporary doctors (médicos tarefeiros) to maintain service coverage.
Tarefeiros are temporary workers (trabalhadores a recibo verde) hired on a task-by-task basis to provide services to the public sector. Unlike permanent civil servants, they often lack the same job security and benefits, and their use is a frequent subject of debate regarding labor stability in the national health system.
